28 replies to this topic

[Peter Leversedge]

Does anyone have a "K8" car ?

[D-Type]

What is a "K8" car? A New Zealand class of racing? Or what?

Anyway, I haven't got one.

[Peter Leversedge]

D-Type
"K8" cars are I believe a type of short track single seat dirt cars built in the US during the 30's and 40's using mainly parts from stock cars and often power by modified Ford A, B & V8 engines. I understand they where a type of early sprint car as the name sprint car has mainly used only since the 50's. Some one please correct me if I am wrong. I own what has been called a "K8" car which was built in 1949 based on the plans from a Floyd Clymer book called 'How To Build A Racing Car" They where also called 3/4 cars. If any one has more information about 'K8" cars I would be interested to hear it

[Sharman]

Wasn't it the model before the K9 which if I remember correctly was a bit oof a dog?

[fredeuce]

Greetings to you Peter.

The K8 was an American dirt track race car design the origins of which were penned by Ray F. Kuns in 1939. These plans were published in his own publication entitled "Automobile Racing" Fifth ed. Copyright 1939 but apparently published in 1941.

These plans were of a basic single seat open wheel speedway type race car. The cars were based on early Ford driveline usually Ford A,B or C 4 Cyl engines of approx 200ci.

These were cars built by budget racers of the day. Basically your local mechanic built and operated these cars.

When I get the opportunity I will scan the article on the construction of these cars and post the same.

For the moment have a look at the link which shows a 1/4 scale model of one of these great old race cars.

http://www.micromark...lery/neely.html

Don Radbruch a member of this site is a noted author and former driver of these cars. I'm sure Don could give you much more information on this topic than I could hope to offer.

D-Type I trust this assist you.

[David McKinney]

See where you went wrong, Peter?
http://www.micromark...lery/neely.html
You would have been a lot faster with flashier paintwork and much more chrome

[Peter Leversedge]

David you may be correct [ said with a smile on my face ] but I remember Frank Shuter Snr saying to me " its whats the inside that counts not whats on the outside"

[Peter Leversedge]

Thanks Fred

[Peter Leversedge]

Correction " It is what is on the inside that counts not what is on the outside"

[fredeuce]

As promised here are the scans of the original drawings of the K8 Special as penned by Ray Kuns .

[Peter Leversedge]

ferdeuce - Thanks for posting the K8 car plans. Looks like my"K8" car has been built almost as the plans suggest , the main difference being my car has a cut down Ford Model Y grill [ a small Ford built in the UK with a grill much like a Model 18 ] and my frame has a straight front cross member.Do you know why they where called K8 cars. I have also heard them called 3/4 cars and Big Cars

[David McKinney]

Originally posted by Peter Leversedge
Do you know why they where called K8 cars

I was going to ask the same question, then presumed the 'K' was for the designer - and the 8 because they were designed to take a V8 engine?

[fredeuce]

Originally posted by David McKinney

I was going to ask the same question, then presumed the 'K' was for the designer - and the 8 because they were designed to take a V8 engine?

Good question.

I am only guessing but I suspect that the "K" derives from "Kuns" and the 8 may well be the 8th set of plans he drew up for race cars. If you are able to find the other editions of his publication "Automobile Racing" you will find a number of other sets of plans for various types of race cars.

As I say only a guess.

As for the V8 engine connection I don't believe that to be the case. This is because the photographs of constructed cars in the published article show 4cyl. powered cars. The text that accompanies the plans however is not specific about power plants.

It is fair to say that these cars during the 30's were mostly 4cylinder powered.There was a lot of speed equipment around for the Ford T,A,B and C engines in those days. Whilst the Ford V8 was introduced in 1932 speed equipment to make these engine perform only came out in the later 30's and 40's so the appeal of these engines only started to take off about the time of WWII and later.

[thunder427]

peter,I am guessing that if I was to travel up Fitzgerald ave. in a northly direction, in the lovely city of christchurch, a few years ago, I would have seen a "k8" racer ,white/red chassie,ex.beach racer/possibly ex Frank Shuter,flathead v8 etc,how am I doing so far ????????????????

[Peter Leversedge]

thunder 427 - It would have had to been the mid/late '60s and what you would have seen was a all red "K8" car ex Bill Harris jnr.Now can you tell where in Fitzgerald Ave you would have seen it. Frank Shuter had two cars at about the same time, both ex George Smith cars one being the car know as the "Edelbrock Special" which was built on a '30s Chev chassis, had been a two seater and was not simlar to a K8 car but it was white with a red chassis. The other car was the "G C S Special" which was also white at the time and was simlar to a K8 car. I wonder who "thunder 427 is ??????????????????????????????????????. Regards Peter

[thunder427]

peter,grew up in chch.Father was was in Canterbury Car Club,he was a member of the 'original' group that founded the Raupuna property all those years ago,he also was involved withe 'RDC"/Wigram each year..organised the lap scoring and timing, spent many saturday nights at the Aranui Speedway(as a Kid) Ron Moore/Barry Briggs/Ivan Mauger and the touring "poms" ,spent many hours in the estemed company of some local legends (as they have become!!)Wally Darral/Frank Shuter/Heck Green "uncle'Ron Silvester, Nelson tillman and I remember you in a white-n-red "beach racer" I am sure I even saw you drag race it in and around the mid seventies, I was the founding member of the Kustom Car Club, Autorama/Canterbury Court 1969/70 ,live in Australia now build Classic American Muscle Cars and old Racing cars for (Bob Jane etc).....apoligies to all other forum members If I've shot off the main game ,but saw Peters name and had an 'INSTANT-FLASH BACK' ( to the 'youth years).....not that Peter and I where direct friends but there is something about sharing a passage of time,but HAVE I still got Peter guessing????

[Peter Leversedge]

Still guessing "thunder427"

[fredeuce]

The initials MJ ring a bell!

[thunder427]

Fredeuce, now you've got me guessing !!! but you are 'on the money' as they say,the intials 'MJ' are correct, Funny how the thoughts roll I remember visiting Bill Harris with my father,( I believe Bill was of the Seventh Day Eventist faith the reason he did not race at Nelson Beach races or Wigram)and he had the Alfa that later was purchased by the owner of Hamco speed shop in chch.(opposite the Avon river) Bill Clarke if the memory hasn't failed tooooo much,I had the privalage of being inviteded to Mr Clarkes home when he was restoring the Alfa,the standard of restoration was amazing considering it was the 60's,there was some amazing cars in NZ in those years.but I loved that american sprint racer/ speedway style...is it true that Fredeuce work for the NZ 'secret service' as a decoding expert !!???.regards MJ/Thunder427

[thunder427]

Peter, was the car that Ron Silvesters mechanic(was it Niel ????) restored, was that car a K8,or was that the Frank Shuter car...I still have a genuine 'SHUTER twin carb manifold for a flathead amongst my bits and pieces(read the 20ft container/some call it Memorabilia,some think its JUNK!!) Junk is something you throw out three weeks before you need it !!!

[fredeuce]

Thunder 427, I met you in 1982 when you operated out of a workshop in Bell st. Preston. I came over from SA shopping for a glass 32 roadster body. I was in 1st year at Uni. then. Drove an early model Celica Gold in colour. Left my trailer at your workshop. Spent some time with you whilst you were working on some front panels for BJ's Monza Sports Sedan. Eventually bought a Stylerod Body. Caught up again next year. At that time you had moved out to SE suburbs somewhere. Clayton comes to mind ?
Cheers

[Peter Leversedge]

thunder427
Re Neil Stuart
Neil assisted John Jaocbson in building the K8 type car [ that I have had since 1965 ] in 1949, John sold it to Bill Harris jnr [ who did not race on Saturdays untill after sun set hence he only raced one of the two day Nelson Beach Race meetings held at New Year Weekend from 1949 to 1977 ] Bill sold it to the Rattray Bros about 1960 and in turn it went to myself.
About 1955 Neil Stuart built a K8 type [ Flathead Ford powered ] car himself, raced it until 1965 and sold it to Norm Smith who sold it to its present owner Stewart Quertier. He then built another K8 type car which he still has, it has been powered by a Jaguar and Chev engine, he still has it. In the '90s he built a copy of his 1955 car.
The GCS Special ex George Smith also a K8 type car was owned by Frank Shuter and now by I understand Don Suckling
In the early '70s I built a K8 type car with a Chev engine which was later destroyed.
These are the K8 type cars I know of in the South Island of New Zealand.
Also I need more than MJ
Regards Peter

[thunder427]

Peter,its funny how the mind works,I had the name Niel Smith, Niel Stuart/George Smith,close,...MJ !?'all the way with 'LBJ'...covers the family name and my first name is on every speedo in every car built in the USA many people think its funny to call me 'kilometers,like I've never heard that one before!!!! ,remember standing around a 44gallon drum 'bonfire'one very cold chch. night,pos.early Spring,drinking cold beer..'as you did',throwing in the wooden casting/ forms Mr Frank Shuter had used for casting his manifolds/heads for v860's/v8 Mercury engines(great fire!! ),he had passed away at this time,knowing what I know now I'm sure he was probably turning in the grave,but it was a good BBQ !!!

[thunder427]

fredeuce,how would said person eg.'MJ" get a full size copy off the 'plans' for a 'K8',would make a great 'kitcar' ....'glass' body section's etc...mind wanders !!!!!

[fredeuce]

Thunder427 , The plans posted should be capable of being printed off as they are.Otherwise pm me your contact details and I can send a copy of the entire article.

I am building one of these cars right now off of these plans.

[Peter Leversedge]

For a look at my "K8" go to < automobiliart.blogspot.com >

[Peter Leversedge]

For another look at my "K8" car
Google
peterleversedge.blogspot.com

[RTH]

Originally posted by Sharman
Wasn't it the model before the K9 which if I remember correctly was a bit oof a dog?

[Peter Leversedge]

Last Sat night [Nov 7th] I had a run in my "K8" car No77 in a vintage race at the Ruapuna Park Speedway. We had six cars in the event, No 77, a Super Modified and four Midgets. It was good to get some track time again in the old car